


Close

by Karkatbuscus



Category: A Separate Peace - John Knowles
Genre: Fluffyfest, Jealous Finny, M/M, happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-14 03:25:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5727928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karkatbuscus/pseuds/Karkatbuscus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gene has always had feels deep down for Phineas but he doesn't realize he has them until after he jounces the limb and sees that he could've lost Finny. Now Gene has to live with Finny not knowing about what actually happened and just thinking that he fell from the tree.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginning A New Relationship Level

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Gene X Finny Fic and I'm SO Sorry if they are OCC, but enjoy the story~

**_**Close** _ **

 

That's what I wanted. I wanted to be close to him. I wanted this because I think I'm falling for him.. yet I realize this after I jounced the limb. After I saw that he could've died and would leave my life. That’s when I realized what all those long stares ment,and always wanted to touch him in some way to feel close to him.

I sat on the train returning to Devon,recalling my thoughts from the time at home and what happened to Finny. I must’ve let my subconscious take over as when I realized where I was I was standing outside of Phineas house.

 _I’m already here might as well go check on him…_ I thought as I walked towards the door. I stood looking at the door before knocking on it and being invited in and sent to the room Finny was sitting in.  

I walked into the room and he turned looking at me and smiled. I moved closer to him staying silent as my gaze went to his leg.  
“Gene? Gene!” Finny had to say to bring me back to the real world after I had been in thought.  
“Hmm?”I said looking to him  
“Are you alright? You seem off..” He said with a worried look on his face that made him look adorable.  
“Uh.. yeah everything’s fine.. I don’t sleep much on trains.”I said with a chuckle

Finny just nodded and smiled at me again. “I’m glad you came here. It was getting boring to be around here without you.”  
I smiled slightly and nodded. With Finny around there was always something to do or some rule to break.  
“Finny..” I began after a few moments of reminiscing  
He looked up at me waiting for me to continue with what I was saying.  
“This all might shock you but.. I need to tell you this..” I said looking from my feet up to him  
“Go ahead Gene tell me” He said eagerly wanting to know what I had to say.

“Finny I’m not sure about this.. its all new to me and well.. I..”  
“Gene..” Was all he said before he grabbed my hands and pulled me down into his lap and brought his lips to mine. I was shocked by his actions and didn’t even have time to think about the situation before I kissed him back. It was everything you’d dream about, I could feel my heart beating out of my chest and hoped he couldn’t feel it. Finny pulled me closer to him deepening the kiss as his tongue brushed against my lower lip. I waited a moment teasing him before parting my lips for him. I could feel him smiling before he slipped his tongue into my mouth in search for my tongue. We fought for dominance,which I let him win, then he explored my mouth wanting to know every part of it.

We soon parted as the need to air was too much. He had a big grin on his face as he looked at him and I smiled back at him.  
“I love you Gene~” He said pulling me into a hug  
I was silent for a moment before I buried my head into his neck grinning like a three-year-old as I said “I love you too FInny”

This was the start of our new relationship. One built from friendship and one that will hopefully go on for a while and not come to the end.

**_Because of one small, unwanted, action._ **


	2. Bad Day Turned Good

I returned to Devon and everything went back to how it was except for FInny being gone along with Peace.  
I walked towards the crew house, I had applied for the job of assistant senior crew manager. The job was normally given to boys who had physical disabilities,since everyone at the school had to take a part in sports. Quackenbush was the crew the manger, as I went to get towels I could feel his eyes looking me over to see if I had a limp.  
We were gathering up the towels later in the afternoon when Quackenbush began a conversation.  
“You never rowed did you”  
“No, I never did”  
“I rowed on the lightweight crew for two years, and wrestle in the winter. What are you doing in the winter?”  
“I don’t know something else.”  
“You’re a senior aren’t you?”  
“Yeah.”I said as he knew that I was a senior.  
“Starting a little late to manage teams aren’t you?”  
“Am I?”  
“Damn right you are!”He put conviction into this, pouncing on the first spring of assertiveness in me.  
“Well it doesn’t matter.”  
“Yes it matters”  
“I don’t think it does.”  
“Go to hell Forrester.Who the hell are you anyway.”  
“You, Quackenbush, don’t know anything about who I am.. or anything else.”  
“Listen here you maimed son-of-bitch..”  
I slapped him hard across the face when he said that, something made me, I don’t know what at that moment but it felt like he was talking to me as if I were maimed.

Quackenbush and I got into a fight and both ended up in the river and Mr.Ludsbury and caught me on the way back to my dorm talking to me about what the card games we played during the summer session and that I had a long distance call. He left the number by the phone on his desk. I thanked him and he went on his way as I went off towards his study.  
I glanced at the number and it wasn’t from my home town but one that got my heart beating faster. I dialed the number and let the operator do her routine, once she was done her voice was replaced by someone that’s now closer than he was before.  
“Happy first day of the academic year!”  
“Thanks, thanks a lot, it’s a- you sound- I’m glad to hear your--”  
“Stop stuttering. I’m paying for this. Who’re you rooming with?”  
“Nobody. They didn’t put anyone else in the room.”  
“Saving my place for me! Good old Devon. But anyways, you wouldn’t have let them put anyone else in there, Would You?” His voice was full of worry and I couldn’t help but smile.  
“No, of course not Finny.”  
“I didn’t think you would. Roommates are roommates. Even if they confess to one another,”He chuckled nervously a little.  
“Don’t worry Finny.”  
“Alright, but that’’s um uh why I called to make sure we were still roommates and that you didn’t replace me cause I had a doubt but I never you wouldn’t so I had to make sure that you didn’t.. I’m sorry had I had a doubt Gene.. Naturally, I was wrong and you didn’t put anyone else in my spot.”  
“No, I didn’t let them.”

“I could shoot myself for thinking you might. I really knew you wouldn’t.”  
“No, I wouldn’t”  
“And I spent my money on a long-distance call! All for nothing! Well not nothing.. I mean I called to hear your voice again and um.. see how you were and uh .. say that I still Love you..”  
“Finny, I still love you too and I’m doing alright.”  
“Great! So how about sports. What are you doing for sports?”  
“Crew, Well, not exactly crew. Managing crew. Assistant crew manager.”  
“Assistant crew manager!”  
“I don’t think I got the job..--”  
“Assistant crew manager!”  
“I got into a fight this after--”  
“Assistant crew manager!” Finny’s voice held so much dumbfoundment “You are crazy”  
“What are you so worked up about? It’s just crew..”  
“What do you want to manage crew for? What do you want to manage for? What does that have do with sports?”  
“I.. I don’t have time. I’m to busy for sports..” Sports are finished for him and they are for me in a way as well.. I thought as I said that  
“Listen pal, if I can’t play sports you’re going to play them for me!”  
“Alright, I’ll play them for you I guess..”I said with a sigh

 

We talked more ending it with an I love you and I love you too which left me flustered and smiling. I hung up the phone and sat back in the chair, waiting for my heart to stop fluttering and for my smile to fade. If this is the feeling I’ll be getting when Finny is around. I think I ‘ll be able to handle it and like it even more when he comes back and maybe forget about what happened to him.


	3. Finny's Home

   I walked back towards the dormitories after shoveling the snow on the railroad thinking about about what happened. Brinker confronting me about Finny being gone then going to the butt room and the conversation there, the the soldiers in the train that went by and then talk of actually enlisting with Brinker. I sighed as I walked towards our room. 

_ What am I doing with my life? With guilt eating at me… I have to tell him.. I mean I was going to but then that happened and that was said and I just shoved that aside.. I have to tell him when I see him again..  _  I thought as I opened our door.

There sitting on his bed clumsily putting his crutches to the side was Finny. My heart began to beat faster as I smiled at him.  
“Hey Pal, What’s with all the layers?” He asked after a moment,a perfect beautiful smile on his handsome features.  
“Oh, I was helping out at the railroad.” I said closing the door then moving over to my dresser pulling out some clean warm clothes.  
Finny nodded as he watched me. My face began to heat up as I began to take off what I was wearing.   
“You know I had to fix my bed myself. I mean where are the maids?”  
“Finny there’s a war going on there are no maids.”  
He just grumbled, while I chuckled at him. Once I was dressed, I moved over to him sitting next to him. I frowned slightly as my gaze landed on his leg.

 _That damned cast.. It’s all my fault.._  I thought biting my cheek slightly  
“Hey, don’t worry about my leg. I’m doing better”He smiled turning my face up to look at him. 

I nodded forcing a smile,which I think he could see because he pulled me into a tight,clumsy hug. I sighed a little as I wrapped my arms around him. 

“I missed you Gene so let’s not worry about anything and just take time to be together.”  
“Alright Finny” I said as he pulled back from the hug. He smiled at me then pulled me into a kiss, his arms wrapping around my waist.

I smiled and kissed him back wrapping my arms around his neck,shifting closer to him,deepening the kiss. Finny nibbled along my bottom lip asking for entrance which I gave to him. He slipped his tongue into my mouth,brushing his tongue against mine as I weakly fought against his for dominance.

We parted after a moment,smiling with red and pink faces.  
“It’s been so long since we kissed.”Finny said with a grin

I turned away from him blushing more, “Hush.” I mumbled, which Finny just chuckled at.

      “Gene, Can we sleep in the same bed?” FInny asked after a moment  
I was silent as I looked at him, He looked away from him his ears were red, he was  obviously flustered from asking that.

“Sure Finny.”I said after a moment my own face on fire  
Finny looked back at me and grinned pulling me into a hug as he pulled me into his chest as he laid back. I glared up at him slightly and he just chuckled a little,mumbling a ‘Sorry Gene’. I just laid my head back into his chest a bit.  
“How are we going to lay with your leg?” I ask glancing back up at him  
“Well I’ll lay and then you can curl up next to me or something, I’ll figure it out”He said smiling, that smile always making my heart flutter.. then stop as I remembered I had to tell him about what happened.. 

_ I can tell him in the morning.. I don’t want to ruin this moment and he’s already so happy and it is his first day back. _

After a bit of talking we decided it was time for bed. I moved and helped Finny get into a comfortable position, then I moved next to him, pulling the covers over us. He smiled and wrapped his arm around me pulling me close.  
“I love you Gene~”  
“I love you too Finny” I said before he kiss my head and began talking about something as he always does before he goes to sleep. I missed his talk I wanted to pay attention to what he was saying but I ended up falling asleep,smiling.

The next morning I had to wait for Finny to wake up to move. He had his arms tightly around my waist as he slept. I chuckled laying there letting him hold on to me. When he woke he kissed my cheek and let me move away from him. I helped him up, and gave him his crutches.  I was busy helping Finny that I didn’t notice Brinker was up until he opened our door and stepped in.  
“Gene ready to en-”He said looking at me but stopped when he looked at Finny. “Finny!!”

“Ready to en what>” Finny asked looking at Brinker then to me.

“Finny. By God your back”Brinker said again “Your little plot didn’t work out”He said looking at me  
“What Is here talking about?” Finny asked as I slipped his crutches under him.

“Just talking, You know how Brinker goes on.”

“You know what I’m talking about.”  
“No,I don’t”  
“Oh yes you do.”  
“Are you telling me what I know?”

“Damn right I am.”

 

“What is he Talking about!?” Finny said looking at us

I looked at him,trembling .. this joke had gotten out of hand. “He wants to know if I’ll sign up with him.. Enlist.” 

“Yeah..” Brinker said   
“Elist!”Finny cried looking at me. His large eyes held a strange expression and began to water slightly. “You’re.. going to enlist?”

“Well I just thought -- Last night after the work on the railroad--”

“You thought you might wanna sign up?.. When will you?” Finny asked ignore Brinker taking in a deep breath, his focus was centered on me and I had a clue as to why.

“Oh, I don’t know. I was just something Brinker happened to say last night that’s all” I said

“I said.”Brinker said glancing towards Phineas, “Something about enlisting today.”

Finny turned back to me those eyes coming back again but this time it felt like that were worse.

“Come on. Brinker’s always getting there first. What a nutty idea. Enlist!” I began, “What a nutty idea. It's just Brinker wanted to get there first again. I wouldn’t enlist with you if you were General MacArthur;s  eldest son.”

“And who do you think I am!” Brinker reared back arrogantly

Finny didn't hear that as his face broke out into a dazzling smile

“Enlist!“ I drove on “I wouldn’t enlist if you were Elliott Roosevelt.”

“First cousin,,” Brinker said over his chin, “once removed.”

“He wouldn’t enlist with you” Finny plunged in “If you were Madam Chiang Kai-shek.”  
“Well,” I qualified in an undertone, “He really is Madam Chiang Kai-shek.

“Well fan my brow, who would have thought that! Chinese. The Yellow Peril,right here at Devon.”   
Yellow Peril,one of Brinker’s nicknames. Brinker had enough of us and left saying he had something better to do.I turned to Finny smiling slightly, but his smile was gone and replaced by a frown.

“Finny, What’s wrong?”

“You can go be with him it’s fine” he mumbled

“What are you talking about?” I asked him moving closer to him

“Going to be with Brinker. To go  **‘enlist’** with him”He said louder as he turned to me, his eyes beginning to water again.

“Finny I wasn’t going to actually enlist with him.”  
“Of course you weren’t going to enlist you were going to continue what you made while I was gone.”

“Finny.. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”  
“You know what I mean Gene, You and Brinker are a thing!”He said harshly as if the words were poison.

“Phineas, Brinker and I are just friends nothing has happened between us. Honest. I wouldn’t lie to you.” I said putting a hand on his shoulder

“Y-you really mean that?” He asked with a sniffle looking at me as a tear rolled down his cheek

“Yes Finny, I mean that.” I said wiping the tear away with the pad of my thumb “My heart belongs to you and no one else.”

“I’m such an idiot!”He cried as he turned and buried his face into the crook of my neck.

“No you’re not Finny don’t say that” Gene said holding him close

“Yes I am! I thought you didn’t love me and now you were with Brinker cause he’s better and not broken like me..”  
“Finny, the only thing Brinker has better than you is his ass and that’s it, but that’s not a reason to cheat on you. You’re not broken either. I don’t care that you leg is broken and you need help. I’ll do that for you. FInny I love you very much and I always will not matter what.” I said holding him close to be as he cried into my chest.

Once he was done and calmed down I smiled at him,giving his lips a small kiss before looking at his face.

“let's go get you cleaned up and dressed then we can go do something you want” I said 

He smiled and nodded. I helped him with what he needed and we just lazed around our room as it was Saturday. 

_ I have to tell him.. I have to get past the distraction and let him know what happened before it destroys what we have.. _


End file.
